Hi, my name is Tressie Cai, and I am going to be the first Mongolian-American actress to star in a major motion picture. And do you know the best way to start? To star in our class play, "The House of Erise"! This play is very special because the whole fourth grade is going to see it! Maybe some of the drama teachers will come, too. If I am one of the leads, maybe they will see my talent and let me be in the school play, too!

Today is the day that Miss Smith gives us our parts. If we audition, I am certain that Miss Smith will pick me! But I was wrong! We are not having auditions. Miss Smith is just choosing people! She gave the role of Minna, one of the main parts, to Lilly Jones because she was the only one who missed our special activity last week. I got a minor role as the Old Crone. And I could not be Erica because Miss Smith is going to be her! A lot of people were disappointed, but I was the most.

We start rehearsing with backdrops and costumes early. The people I have most of my scenes with are not very good. They always forget their lines and I have to help them. Lilly Jones is very good. She acts casual the whole time, like it's normal for her to discover a witch in the forest every day. But I still want to be Minna! Maybe I could be her understudy.

Today I explain my idea to Miss Smith. She says that it is a great idea! Hannah Collin is already Lilly's alternate, but she is not feeling very well. So if both Lilly and Hannah get sick, I could be Minna. But that's unlikely. It's my best chance to get the part, though.

She's the witch that the villagers talk of!

I am disappointed, but still want to be Minna! So I watch every practice, and memorize all of the lines, for Minna and Erica, just in case. I asked my friend Annie Lee, a villager, to memorize my lines in case I am called up. She is an extra, so it will not matter if she is not a villager.

I was feeling stressed about the whole thing, so my sister suggested I go to Tranquility Yoga Studio. She said I could be active and tranquil at the same time. When I got home, I felt much better. I decided to study Sivouci Mutaforma's part too, because that was also a good role.